


Favors

by FableButt



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Alternate Universe - Giant Robots, Both of them are bad at dates, Fighting evil trans-dimensional giant aliens, Gratuitous Fighting Scenes, It happens at least twice okay, M/M, Mecha Pilot!Leo, Mecha Pilot!Ryoma, Mild Mind Melding at one point, Misunderstandings, None of them are royalty, Not exactly Slow Burn but not fast either?, Please save them, Plus Smut too, Pre-Relationship, Ryoma finds out that boyfriend shirts are a THING for him, Then Relationship, When your boyfriend's family doesn't like you, When your family doesn't like your boyfriend, Why do I do this to myself, a splash of m!kamui/niles because i'm trash, culture clash, kind of snapshot-ish after a certain point?, really bad flirting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-31
Updated: 2016-07-31
Packaged: 2018-07-28 08:07:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7631875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FableButt/pseuds/FableButt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Giant Kickass Robot AU</p><p>Ryoma is the pilot of Raijinto, the leader of Team Hoshido in fighting a giant monster menace that threatens the world.  During a mission gone wrong, he ends up saving Brynhildr and it's pilot, Leo, from certain destruction.  He doesn't expect the gratitude of said pilot, or how it leads to strange romantic feelings he doesn't care to think about.  Really, smug blond guys who think headbands are fashionable have no right to be that cute.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Favors

**Author's Note:**

> guess who watched pacific rim finally?
> 
>  
> 
> _this bitch_

Sirens blared and flashing red lights were what greeted Ryoma when he awoke. His body was sore from the crash. Muscles stiff and aching, he tried to move to relieve pressure on his arms. The robotic parts and pieces held him in place. As sense came back to him past the throbbing pain in his skull, he found he was glad for it: The gyroscopic had busted and he was hanging precariously upside down at the moment. A hole had been blown in front of him, through the chassis it seemed. He was staring down into waves crashing over sharp rocks, perfect for smashing people who just had their flight suit on.

"Raijinto! Copy! Raijinto!" Takumi. His voice was disjointed and fuzzy as it came through the com line. Must have been damaged when he got hit. What hit him? Ryoma's head throbbed again, and whatever vision of clarity he had wanted was gone. He could figure out what happened later, when he wasn't staring death in the face and hurting all over. "Ryoma, please."

"Takumi." His throat was raw, and it showed. Barked out and rough, Ryoma coughed hard before giving up on speaking. A disconnect error flashed on screen, his words not going through anyway. Looks like this was a one way street, and he had no way to get out to his panicking brother that, yes, he was alive and mostly okay. Damn.

Instead, the large man moved to system diagnostics, using his fingers to start the action. A percent bar pulled up on screen, over top of a basic picture of his mech as the different areas were checked. He watched as almost all of his craft flashed red or yellow, signaling that it was broken or on its way there. At least the life support was still going, as well as most of the basic relays inside. He could still figure out what was happening in the fight outside.

The perimeter cameras were still working, so he activated them. Multiple screens flashed to life around him, seeming to hang in the air yet still solid if he wanted to touch them. Takumi's Fujin was between himself and the beast who had attacked. The massive mech was knee deep in the ocean's currents, carefully firing plasma ion bolts from it's electrified yumi. The beams of energy crackled blue as they hit, scorching black holes into the beast's hide.

This one looked almost like a dragon, Ryoma thought, as he watched how it moved and swayed. It was fighting back at.... who was that? He couldn't exactly see, Fujin blocking the way, but a blur of purple and gold was slashing wildly at the beast, keeping it distracted. Now that Ryoma looked closer, he could see another blur of the same color, at a distance, that looked to be firing green bolts at the monster.

"This is all your fault, Leo!" Takumi was still panicked, but now he was also angry. Ryoma could hear the quiver of fear in his brother's tone, knew he was probably tearing up right now in the cockpit of his mech. It also confirmed that the two shapes he saw were Siegfried and Brynhildr. Mecca belonging to the brothers of Xander and Leo respectively. What were they doing out here? This was a Hoshidan mission, and they had no business interfering like this.

Ryoma fought through the pain as he tried to remember, pieces sliding back into place much too slow for his liking. Hinata and Oboro screaming over the com link from the bay back at base, Saizo speaking in tight and terse tones, but all their words lost on him. 'Double event' he had managed to make out, and 'Team Nohr on the way'. Then he had gotten angry, and slashed his plasma katana clean through one of the fat wings on the monster's back.

Then.... two. Yes, another massive dragon thing had come out of the water. Big and blue, like the first, but with much more savage fangs and no wings. It went for Takumi, and Ryoma went for it, but a bolt of green plasma knocked it away first. Siegfried and Brynhildr, trudging through the water, the plasma cannon on Brynhildr's arm still smoking. Reinforcements had arrived.

"Looks like you two could use our help." Leo sounded downright smug when he tapped into the com line. Takumi responded by growling, going in for another shot. Ryoma just put himself between his long ranged brother and tried to take the brunt of the beating. Ryoma's mech was larger and bulkier, slower, than Takumi's, but his could take a hell of a beating before going down.

.... which is what made the current situation even worse, now that he thought about it.

Xander had moved in close to the first monster, the one with the missing wing, and Leo stayed behind like Takumi did to shoot. Raijinto and Siegfried were two mechs of similar design and function. Plasma sword wielders meant to defend and provoke enemies away. It was very effective most of the time. Most of the time.

No wing had a nasty surprise. Ryoma saw it coming before anyone else. He had surged his mech forward, gashing the monster he was battling and slicing it's throat. No wing was focusing it's blows on Siegfried, but its spiked tail had lifted out of the water and was zoning in on Brynhildr. Glowing blue, something rushing out, Raijinto charged Brynhildr and bodily shoved the other mech out of the way. An acidic beam hit him square in the chest, knocking him flying. He had landed on a coastal inlet and passed out.

If Ryoma hadn't taken that hit, Leo would probably be dead. Fujin and Brynhildr were not meant for close combat. They were quick and accurate in their attacks, meant for ranged battle. Smaller, with lighter armor. If that blast had damaged Raijinto so badly, it would have shredded Brynhildr so nothing was left.

Back to reality, at least it looked like they were holding their own. The water was stained a glowing blue as the monster he had ended bled out beneath the waves. His head was starting to hurt again from the awkward situation he was hanging in. The still living monster blasted another beam from it's tail, but missed and it hit the water. There was a rumbling and movement from overhead. It was Pegasus and Festal, his sister's mechs.

Pegasus was one of two airborne mechs, along with the Nohrian Wyvern. Festal was a smaller rescue mech, meant to be more a traveling hospital room than a proper fighter. It had its own counterpart, the Troubadour. Pegasus was latching onto Raijinto and busy pulling it upwards again, away from the cliff side. Ryoma breathed a sigh of relief when he was back on flat land, even if he was shook and twisted as he was saved.

"Ryoma, are you alright?" Hinoka broke over the line, worry in her voice. Now that he was safe. Ryoma released the braces and let himself fall. His ass hurt from his landing, but at least he could open up the escape hatch and get outside now. Festal snatched him up as soon as he was outside, dropping him into the inner most part where Sakura was waiting.

"Ryoma's okay!" His youngest sister's voice cracked as she called over the line. Sakura turned to Ryoma and hugged him tight, sniffling to hold back the tears. Relief sounded from all lines on the Hoshidan side. Ryoma didn't bother to even try and argue with Sakura when she asked him to lay down so she could check him over. He could see on the screens that Leo had managed to finally take down the second monster with a well aimed blast and a little help from Takumi.

\------

Ryoma would be okay. He'd been better, but he would be okay. Right arm in a sling, sprained not broken, and a concussion. Other than a few scratches, that had been the worst of it. Arriving back at the base, he had been rushed off to a more thorough medical examination room. Pilots were hard to come by, so no one wanted to lose one.

Now that he was fine, had his siblings come in and cry over him, been debriefed on the mission, Ryoma was free to go. The mech pilot had made his way to the cafeteria and started to pile up on food, starving after all the excitement from the day. Stupid monster-kaiju-whatevers had attacked right at lunch time and it was after dinner now, so he was starving.

Many of the personnel and wannabe pilots gave him space as he moved through the rows. Ryoma saving Leo had already been played hundreds of times in the base by that point, a little clip that had made him even more of a hero than people thought of him before. God only knew what would happen when the media got a hold of it. Being an idol was fun, but he didn't always like how it made people treat him.

"Ryoma!" Takumi was in their normal spot, as he had hoped. Hinata and Oboro were sitting across from him. Enjoying some noodles it looked like, same as what Ryoma had picked up from the line. Not as good as home cooking, but at least their food was pretty good considering it had been freeze dried, repackaged and mass produced for hundreds of personnel that day. Ryoma took his seat across from his brother and sighed.

"Pretty good out there today." Hinata nudged his shoulder and laughed, which made Ryoma laugh too. Whatever topic they had been talking about before picked back up, the battle today Ryoma was assuming from how excited Hinata was getting. It was comfortable as they ate, but suddenly Takumi looked like he tasted something nasty, which caused everyone to hush.

Ryoma glanced behind him, seeing Leo approaching. It wasn't too often that those from the Norhian side passed over to the Hoshidan side, but it was usually to start trouble. There were no official lines in the base anymore, not after the Greater Peace Act about three years ago, but that didn't mean bad blood didn't exist between two countries just because aliens from another dimension liked to attack every few weeks.

The blond haired man was alone, out of uniform in casual clothes like the rest of them. A long sleeve shirt rolled up to his elbows and black slacks. A lot nicer than his own ratty band t-shirt and jeans, or even his brother's military uniform. Some people just didn't know how to relax.

Leo had a sour look on his face, a plate full of food more traditional to Nohr on his plate than Hoshidan. He was alone, oddly enough. Usually when people came to start shit they would bring a whole little crew with them, as if three or four people could intimidate a whole room. The blond man stopped a few steps from their table. He looked about to say something, but instead just sat his tray next to Takumi's and sat down.

Takumi blanched, looking both disgusted and ready to rip Leo's throat out. Ryoma could understand the sentiment. A lot of people compared Takumi and Leo to each other, which his younger brother hated. Ryoma himself was compared to Xander a lot, and he resented the other man for it. He thought maybe Xander felt the same way, but they had never gotten along well enough for either of them to find out for sure.

"Hello." Leo didn't look up from his food. Head down, Ryoma could make out a little black headband on top of the blond's head. He poked a fork at his food, some type of noodle dish Ryoma didn't recognize, and seemed more content with just swirling it around his utensil than actually eating.

It was quiet for a little while longer, before Hinata broke the silence with his own little 'hi', which was followed suit by the rest of them. Takumi was giving Leo a look that could melt steel, but the other man didn't seem to notice or care; Ryoma wasn't sure which.

".... Thank you." It was muttered, embarrassed. If Leo's face went any lower it would be in his plate. Ryoma could still pick out the red on the apples of his cheeks, even if the other man tried to hide it. Leo was quiet, but then took in a sharp breath and raised his head back up. The picture of calm and composed now. "For saving me. You didn't have to do that." He shook the mass of noodles he had collected from his fork, took a much more manageable bite of his food.

"Of course I did." Ryoma gave a brisk laugh. He couldn't tell if the Nohrian was actually thanking him or trying to insult him. Did he really think he would have let him die? Did he think so little of him? It had to have been an insult. There was no other way he could have meant it.

Takumi opened his mouth, no doubt to make a digging comment, but Leo stood suddenly and quieted him. Leo looked mortified, but he reached into his pocket and dropped a lavender cloth on the table. A handkerchief, little things the Norhian's carried around with them to.... well, he didn't know. In cartoons they always blew their nose on them. This one looked too nice for that, with soft lace edging and 'LN' monogrammed on the corner.

Ryoma looked up to ask what this was about, but Leo was already retreating. He picked up the cloth, finding it was cotton soft under his fingers. He tucked it into his pocket for later.

\------

What exactly the cloth was or meant came about four days later. Since then, Ryoma had seen Leo exactly zero times. That was unusual, since all the pilots were supposed to have certain daily trainings together. All of the other Nohrian pilot siblings were there, and the two Vallite ones who babbled about music the entire time, but Leo was always absent. No one said anything, not even the commander, and no one raised an issue with it.

It was during one of his daily workouts that Ryoma got the answer to a question he didn't ask. He dropped the dumbbells back onto the stand and sat down, arms aching pleasantly. A few other people were using the gym, wandering around. Ryoma wiped his face off on a towel, then reached into his pocket for his phone. When he pulled it out, the cloth came with it. He had forgotten he had shoved it in the pocket of these jeans.

Before he could reach over and pick it up, there was a girlish gasp and it was snatched from between his fingers. A young Norhian girl, with long twin braids and silver hair. She had stars in her eyes from the piece of cloth, looking it over in great detail. She didn't look more than fifteen, and Ryoma vaguely knew her as the daughter of one of Brynhildr's mechanics. Nate? Neil? Something like that? He just knew the man was supposed to be dating one of the Vallite pilots, the male one who flew Yato. It wasn't really his business.

"Are you _dating_ Leo?" Ryoma spluttered. Still, she looked so serious and happy that he didn't think she was being malicious.

"What? No!" He felt his cheeks heat up, tried to play it off as exertion and wiped his face with his towel again. When he calmed down and looked back, the girl was pouting.

"So... not.... yet?" She waved the cloth as if it meant something. Ryoma shook his head and her brows knitted. "So.... you're from Hoshido, right? Do you, um, know much about Norhian culture?"

Ryoma shook his head after some thought. He didn't care much for Norhians as a general rule of thumb. Years of war between the countries, years of hate, didn't foster much of loving respect between cultures. When Ryoma thought of Norhians, all he conjured up was news of his own father's death and the propaganda cartoons he had seen as a small child, or racism directed at him because of his heritage.

The girl gasped again, a new, delighted look coming onto her face. As if she were about to reveal to him some earth shattering secret.

It turns out, she did.

"Leo gave you a _favor_!" She flapped the cloth again. "See, we used to be super stuffy about dating and stuff, like, hundreds of years ago or something. No talking to opposite sex, no holding hands, smooching, even if you were married! So people came up with a way of showing 'hey, I wanna date you' even if they couldn't talk. Favors!" She handed the cloth back to him.

"So, like, even if you can talk to people now, its still seen as a totally normal and romantic gesture to be all 'hey, let me give you something of mine to show you I'm interested.'" She laughed, shaking her pigtails. "Dude, like, my dad probably gave Kamui, like, fifty favors before _I_ had to tell him what they were!"

Ryoma looked down at the cloth, still soft under his fingers and color pleasing to the eye. He thought back to Leo, how red he had gotten, how he had ran away after presenting something like this. What this silver haired girl said made a lot of sense, but was it really true? Surely she wouldn't be lying to him for no reason. Most kids her age couldn't remember the war. They didn't have a reason to be hateful except at the monsters.

"So he likes me then? Romantically?" It was hard to wrap his head around, that Leo might be interested in him like.... that. Ryoma would be a liar if he said he hadn't had a few trysts with men before, and more than his fair share of women of course, but someone like _Leo_? He just screamed being a haughty douche, and his family was crazy. Even the little one was too excitable, too happy. That had to be fake.

"Yes! Didn't you hear what I just said?" The silver haired girl squealed again, clapping her hands together. "Oh. My. God! I _have_ to go write fanfiction about this! Hoshidan Pilot Ryoma taking Norhian Pilot Leo into his arms.... and into his bed. My blog followers will eat this up!"

"Nina!" The girl, Nina apparently her name, frowned and turned towards the voice. On the other side of the gym, a silver haired man was getting off of a treadmill. It was the mechanic, the one whose name Ryoma couldn't place. He raised his one eyebrow at Ryoma, eye zeroed in on the 'favor' in his hand. He looked surprised, but just chuckled and shook his head. "Lets go and leave the pilot alone, sweetie. We're meeting Kamui for dinner!"

\------

In his room later that evening, a few quick searches on his phone told Ryoma all he needed to know. What the girl, Nina, had said was all true. Her history had been a little vague, but accurate. This thing that Leo had given him was certainly a confession of affection in some way. Why him? Why now? Was it because he had saved?

 _How shallow._ Ryoma thought at first, but then he started to turn over every other interaction he had had with Leo over in his head. Leo had never spoken directly to him before, unless Xander was present. Averting eyes so there was no contact. Leo had never said anything directly mean or rude to him, even though the same couldn't be said for Takumi or even Hinoka. How he had occasionally caught Leo staring at him during meetings. Shit.

Ryoma unlocked his phone and sorted through the numbers there. His gaze locked on one, thumb hovering over the contact, before he pressed it and brought the phone to his ear. It rang once, twice, before it was picked up.

"Hello?" A concerned female voice. Ryoma let out a breath he didn't know he was holding, relief that it had been Kagero pick up instead of Orochi or Hinata.

"It's Ryoma." A pause, as he thought of how to word what he had called for. He decided the most direct route would be the best. There was no sense in beating around the bush with Kagero. If he couldn't trust her, who _could_ he trust? "Leo had a crush on me. He asked me out in a weird Norhian way. I'm not sure how I feel about it."

"... oh." Delayed. It was quiet again as she took in what he said, figured out what to say in return. A few seconds felt like they took forever. "You need advice then."

Ryoma hummed in agreement. A few more seconds of quiet. Ryoma could hear something in the background, the laugh track of some show that Kagero had probably been watching.

"Well, do you like him? I need to know if you want to know how to turn him down, or..." _Ask him out._ It hung in the air between them, unsaid but both knowing exactly what she had meant. Damn her, being so clever. He had just wanted her to tell him how to break it off, not make him actually think like this. Maybe he should have just called Saizo. The red haired man had enough rage to have this whole thing ended _for_ him by now.

"I....." There it was again, quiet. Kagero had muted whatever that had been in the background. All he could hear was his own breathing and heartbeat. "I don't know." The confession stung in a way he didn't understand. So confident and proud, guiding those around him, it was hard to confess that he didn't know what the hell to do. It always made him feel like he had let those around him down.

"Go on a date with him, Ryoma." The answer came quicker than expected. It felt like it knocked the wind out of him. Kagero didn't notice. "If you don't get along, that's the end of it."

She said this with such finality that he didn't get her double meaning until after they had chatted a few more minutes, then hung up. If they didn't mesh, they were over, no more problem. What if they did get along, though? What if they got along so well that they.....

Ryoma groaned, loudly, and covered his face with his hands.

\------

After dinner that night, Ryoma abstained from spending time with his siblings. He had plans. The brown haired used his connections, ie. Nina, to find out where Leo housed on the Norhian side of the base. It felt strange to travel that side, much the same as his own but still so foreign. Many stared at him as he passed, but said nothing. He kept his head held high either way.

The door was the same as his own, heavy metal in a steel hallway that rang loud when he knocked. Ryoma stood on the step long enough to think that maybe Leo wasn't there before it opened, revealing the smaller man. He looked tired, clothing wrinkled and dressed down enough that Ryoma got the impression that Leo had been sleeping. He seemed agitated that anyone dare wake him up, but then just looked shocked as he realized who was at his door.

Leo floundered, and Ryoma rolled the knowledge on 'favors' over in his head one last time, to make sure he got it right. He shoved one of his favorite band t shirts at the blond man, much too big for him and not his style at all. 'To accept a favor, you give a favor in return.' The web-page has said. Ryoma wasn't exactly ready for this kind of thing, but this was the most personal thing he could let go of that might be considered a favor.

At least Leo seemed to get the idea. He took the shirt, realization dawning on his face. Softening, he looked almost fondly at the ratty black thing as he massaged it between his fingers.

"Thank you." Leo straightened, trying to go back to his confident self, but it was hard for Ryoma to see him the same way now. The younger man stepped back, opening the door wider and allowing him inside the room. Ryoma ducked and entered, glancing around to take it in. Leo's room was the same size as his own, with the same standard furniture. All the rooms were like this. Leo's was more personalized, neat and orderly with lots of books laying about the place. There was everything here, from ancient war tomes, books on mechs, and what might have been a few sultry romance novels poorly hidden in one corner.

A chair was pushed under a small desk next to the closet door. Ryoma felt weird about taking the only chair in the room, so he sat down on the bed instead. He was used to it; the chair in his own room was piled up with clean laundry he had never bothered to put away. Leo folded the shirt and placed it on the desk, then came and sat down next to him. The screen in the wall started to play again, having been paused. One of those 'how its made' programs, currently showing how to can tomatoes for mass consumption.

It was awkward. Leo didn't say anything, just sat there, tense, his hands folded in his lap and sitting rigid next to Ryoma. The brown haired man slouched back, resting his weight on his hands as he watched the screen. The distance between the two of them was oddly too far away but also too close at the same time. They didn't look at each other.

"So, you like books?" Ryoma's tongue felt fat in his mouth. He swallowed hard, wincing at the sound and hoping that Leo didn't hear. The blond man had flinched, just a little. Ryoma felt like his voice was too loud in the small place.

"I do." Leo's answer was more confident that Ryoma felt, but his real feelings were showing with his he started to worry his hands together. Anxiety dripped off of the smaller man. "Do you like to read?"

"I don't have much time for it." He shifted, feeling hot. Leo's lips were pursed, likely disappointed that they didn't share a common interest. Ryoma could feel the conversation dieing as the seconds passed. "Sometimes I like those old samurai stories." Rushed out, too fast. He almost bit his tongue snapping his mouth back shut. His teeth clicked together.

"Oh." Leo looked down, at his hands. Something about him seemed to relax, even a bit, and it made Ryoma feel a little better. "Have you read 'Stormy Eyes of Wind'? Its one of my favorites."

"You're read Hoshidan books?" The surprise showed in Ryoma's tone. Leo looked up at him, sharp but not unkind. He was pouting.

"Of course I have!" The look soured again, nose wrinkled up, but then he seemed to remember who he was talking to. Leo's cheeks flushed a delicate shade of pink. He cleared his throat before speaking again. "I've read lots of Hoshidan books. A lot of the stories are very fanciful. I like that about them."

"Huh." A very intelligent answer. Ryoma considered this for a bit longer before nodding sagely. "Maybe I could recommend you some? I mean, I'm not the most well read, but...."

Ryoma allowed himself to trail off, and the two shared a very light conversation for a few minutes longer about various books. Mostly it was Leo talking since he knew more about the subject, and he carefully explained key differences between typical Norhian heroes in novels and Hoshidan. When Ryoma left, he had 'A Story of Three Brothers', a Norhian novel, in his hand that Leo had swore as a classic must read. They said their goodbyes and Ryoma went back to his room in better spirits than he had left them.

He also knew that things were a lot more complicated now.

\------

The next day, Ryoma had a test in Raijinto. The mech wasn't fully repaired yet, the hole still gaping in the red and white chest, but he needed to see that all the other systems were still functioning before they could start rebuilding. It was nice being back in the cockpit, strapped in with wires and the syncing helmet on his head. The AI in his machine, a modified TD-38, was just on the cusp of sentient. It seemed pleased to have have him back and see that he was well. He felt the same way.

Soon enough it was time for Ryoma to leave. He said his mental goodbyes to Raijinto and unsynced before exiting. In the hangar, he looked around and took stock of the other nine machines around the massive room. It really was amazing how similar and different that all were.

The Siegfried and Yato were TD-38 like Raijinto. They were the third newest model available and each standard with an AI whose prime directive was to keep the pilot safe. They also made it hard for others to take their place if something happened to the pilot, since the machines grieved if they died. Many TD-38 had been taken apart as more vicious monsters had arose, just because when repaired they wouldn't accept new pilots after their old had perished.

TD-32s were what Wyvern and Pegasus were. Same line, older models. They had AIs, but they weren't as advanced and had about the same intelligence as animals. They were vicious beasts, known to flat out fry pilots who didn't respect them or have a strong enough willpower. Ryoma was proud of Hinoka for piloting one.

Festal and Troubadour were more like walking tanks than proper mechs. Limited fighting capabilities, more meant for civilian rescue and first response. They were both VNs with a model number he couldn't place. Sakura and Elise piloted bigger stock than your average kind, meant for the deep ocean waters and supposed to take a few hits under pressure. No AI at all, just his baby sister using what she had to get her where she needed.

Fujin, Brynhildr and Songstress were the newest in the hangar. Top of the line QY-02. No AI, but they did a perfect mind meld with the user. Ryoma didn't really understand it but had asked Takumi about it a few times. Apparently the cockpit was a lot smaller than the massive cavities needed for the other mechs, not much bigger than the pit of a fighter plane. It had a chair-like device you laid down on, and after you synced up it filled with some type of breathable blue goo. It made you feel like you _were_ the mech instead of just piloting one. Seemed like a lot of effort, and after every battle Takumi had to dragged out of it he was so tired. Ryoma wondered if Leo was the same way.

Which, speak of the devil, Leo was exiting his mech. Normally what happened on that side of the hangar didn't matter to him, but seeing the chest open on Brynhildr fly open had caught his eye. The one eyed man from a few days ago and another blond haired one were helping Leo out, who leaned on them heavily. He couldn't tell much else from where he was at, but he would hazard a guess that they were headed to the showers. That's where Hinata and Oboro always took Takumi first after training or battles.

The thought crosses Ryoma's mind to follow, see how Leo was and what he had been doing. He made it exactly three steps in that direction before a firm hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"Ryoma. We need to talk." Jerking his head around, Ryoma scowled and looked up. Xander. The blond man was scowling down at the brown haired man, trying to use that inch or two height difference to his advantage. Ryoma grit his teeth and shrugged off his hand, fulling turning and crossing his arms over his chest.

"Yes?" There was no need to start an unnecessary fight. Maybe if he hurried and let Xander say whatever he had to say, this could be over and they could go back to mutually loathing one another. Even if Ryoma was getting along with Leo in a weird 'are we kind of dating now?' way, that didn't extend to his older brother.

"About Leo." Xander's look turned more into a displeased frown. He glanced around quickly, but no one was within earshot of them right now. Finding this acceptable, he continued. "I am very grateful to you for saving him, so are Camilla and Elise." A pause, his face hardening again. His eyes bored into Ryoma's, a challenge. "However, I know about the favor. I also know you gave him one in return. Stay away from my brother. He is very confused right now and only likes you because you saved him. You're going to hurt him."

Ryoma snarled. Xander sounded so sure of what the other pilot would do. It pissed him off. While Ryoma wasn't sure if things would work out between them, he wasn't going to try to make this some messy affair if he could help it. He also wasn't going to use these delicate feelings Leo had as some bargaining tool or to use him. That Xander might have even had the thought that Ryoma _would_ was an insult to his honor.

"You don't know anything. He's a grown man and so am I. If we want to share a mutual thing, its not any of your business, Xander." Ryoma had more to say, and gods did he want to punch that smug face, but he didn't want to get reprimanded for fighting again. Plus, really, Ryoma wasn't sure he wouldn't react the same way if the shoe was on the other foot; if Takumi suddenly wanted Xander for some arbitrary reason.

So Ryoma stormed off, to the changing rooms where Kagero and Saizo were waiting. He didn't speak to either of them, still needing to calm down, and he practically ripped off his pilot suit and pulled on his normal clothing. They were quiet, watching, and when he sat down on one of the benches to fix his socks and shoes did one of them speak.

"Everything worked as we expected it, Ryoma. Torso is too damaged to fully connect and most of the joints are weakened, if not shot, but most of the inner systems just needed to be hard reset and reconnected. If everything stays on schedule, Raijinto will be fully repaired in two weeks time." Saizo. Ryoma grunted at that. Two weeks was much too long of a time to wait. Who knew how many monsters would attack by then, or if Xander would bother to keep Ryoma's siblings safe like he did his own.

"When's the next ETA?"

"Gunter gives us four days, then a week after that. As Izana predicted, attacks are getting closer together." Kagero that time. Ryoma sighed and rubbed his face, hunched over the bench. So, at least two battles he would have to sit out for. He wasn't excited by the prospect of battle, but he always felt so useless when he had to sit out. He felt like he couldn't protect his siblings like he had promised. Resigned to his fate, Ryoma stood and stretched stiff muscles.

"I'm going down to the cafeteria. You two should join me." He grumbled. Food was really the last thing on his mind, but Ryoma knew that he needed to eat through his worry right now if he wanted to stay strong. He wouldn't be any help to anyone if he let himself wither away just because he didn't want his siblings fighting alone.

\------

Curry was on the menu today, spicy stuff to get body moving. Saizo said he needed to go help Kaze do something with Yato and hadn't come, but Kagero was on his heels as he made his way to his usual table. He paused, seeing it occupied by Hinoka and Sakura. That wasn't the only occupants, though. Leo was sitting there stiffly, his two mech techs on either side of him. The youngest Nohr pilot Elise was also with him, sitting next to Sakura and chatting the nervous girl's ear off.

"Hi!" Elise perked up when she noticed him, pausing her talk to wave and give him a bright smile. Elise had always been the most agreeable, even if she was a little over eager in Ryoma's opinion. The one eyed tech glanced up from sipping a carton of milk, then smirked and slid himself over. He freed up the space next to Leo, but also took up the rest of the bench. Ryoma approached, seated himself next to Leo, and Elise took that as her cue to start talking again.

"Oh, how was Raijinto? You just came from a test right?" The young woman picked up a strange crust of bread and dipped it in the curry sauce, giving it a good swirl before popping it into her mouth. "Oh, hey, have you been okay, like, in general, too? Sometimes Xander gets really tired after being in Siegfried! Gets all stiff! Maybe Leo can give you a massage later?"

Elise smiled, the picture of innocence, as the rest of the table spluttered. The white haired tech ended up spitting milk back into the carton as he laughed, and Ryoma almost choked on a spoonful of curry. Glancing over at Leo, the blond man had his face in his hands, but his ears and the back of his neck were red. Hinoka and Sakura looked scandalized. At least the blond tech and Kagero had the decency to act normal.

"W-what are you talking about, Elise?" Bewildered, Hinoka looked between Elise, Ryoma and Leo. Maybe she could see the guilt etched into their faces. Maybe not. It didn't matter, because Elisa answered for them anyway.

"Leo gave Ryoma a favor, and then Ryoma gave Leo one back! This really cute shirt! They're dating now!" Ryoma wasn't so sure that 'dating' was the right word. They had talked about books, once, and that was about it. Still, Elise didn't look so undeterred. "They're gunna get married, and have at least two babies, and then live happily ever after!" She seemed proud of this.

"Elise, please, you're moving too fast." Leo spoke up. His cheeks were still pink, but he wasn't as red as before. He poked at his curry and wouldn't meet Hinoka's suddenly stern glare at him. At least Sakura, after getting over her initial shock, looked happy for them. At least there was that.

The rest of the meal was spent in a tense silence, except for Elise who was oblivious as always.

\------

Ryoma had retreated to his room before Hinoka, Sakura or, heaven forbid, Takumi could sideline him and demand answers in light of this news. He lay in bed, muscles in his back aching but not tired enough to sleep. Someone had come pounding on his door earlier, but the lights were off so he just ignored them. It was easier that way.

His phone lit up, bathing the room in a blue light. Sighing, he pulled it over and unlocked it. Six new texts. One from Sakura, one from a number he didn't know, and the last four from Takumi. The ones from Takumi were just demands to know what the hell was going on, why he wasn't answering his door, then where he was. Sakura's was a simple apology and that she had given Leo his number.

The newest one, the number, was Leo. "This is Leo." It started. "Sakura gave me your number. Would you like to hang out in my room?" That was it. Ryoma stared at the screen for a few minutes before saving the number, typing back a simple response.

"B in 10."

Pushing himself up, Ryoma made sure his clothes weren't too wrinkly and brushed out what he could of the mess that was his mane of hair. He grabbed a book off the shelf, then a movie, and headed out to Leo's side of the barracks.

Ryoma arrived in seven, not ten, but Leo still opened up his door for him. The larger man had to do a double take when he saw the younger. Leo was wearing that shirt Ryoma had given him. It hung down to his thighs and his shoulder was sticking out it was so big. He knew that Leo probably had on a pair of shorts or at least underwear on under it, but somehow it looked... indecent. In a way that Ryoma was discovering he liked.

"I brought a movie." Ryoma finally said, sort of dumbly, before stepping inside and shutting the door.

"Would you like a massage?" Leo was fidgeting again, with his hands, and turned pink at how sudden his suggestion was. He cleared his throat before continuing. "Like Elise said earlier, sometimes we siblings will give Xander one because we know how hard Siegfried is on him, so-"

"That sounds nice." Leo nodded at the answer and gently guided him over to the bed. Ryoma abandoned his book and movie on the desk as he passed, then sat down. He removed his shirt at Leo's gentle urging, then laid on his stomach. Ryoma was pleased with himself, since he had caught how Leo had raked his eyes over his chest.

"I'm going to sit on you." Was all the warning Ryoma got before he felt Leo's slender thighs wrap around him. Leo was seated on his ass. Something cold hit his bare back, but then was soothed to warmth by Leo's hands. A floral scent filled the air. 

Leo's hands were surprisingly rough with calluses, but felt so delicate as they trailed over Ryoma's skin. Diligent fingers worked out knots that had been there so long Ryoma didn't even know there were knots. He felt like putty under his touch. After a few minutes of this, something else came to mind, and Ryoma was very glad that he was on his stomach. The way Leo was moving himself, grinding down unintentionally on Ryoma and squeezing him, was causing him to get hard.

He tried to keep control over himself, tried to think of other things, but when Ryoma glanced back all he could see past his hair was how that shirt was riding up perfectly to show off firm thighs, yet wasn't far enough up to give him the view he really wanted. He wondered if Leo's skin felt as soft as it looked, if he would be stiff when he kissed him or give him everything. What did Leo look like with his hair free from that headband and tousled, his face twisted in ecstasy below him.

"All done." Leo leaned back up, made to sit up and remove himself. Ryoma took this as his chance, and quickly rolled over onto his back and pulled Leo back down. He landed perfectly for his ass to grind down onto Ryoma's swelling cock, the friction pulling a hiss from Ryoma's lips. Leo was bewildered, then turned red as realization hit him. He looked unsure, for a moment, but Ryoma wasn't going to force or coax him. He would only take this as far as Leo wanted, if he hadn't went too far already.

Then Leo leaned over, grabbing onto Ryoma's shoulders, and used this new leverage to grind onto Ryoma again. The larger man allowed himself a small groan, but he wanted so much more. He rose enough to drag Leo down against his lips.

Leo tasted sweet, unlike what Ryoma had imagined. All it took as a little prodding and Leo's mouth was open, where Ryoma took his time to carefully explore. Tongues danced, sloppy at first, as they started a certain rhythm with their rutting. The slide and feel of each other through clothes was good but not enough. Ryoma was quickly becoming drunk on Leo's mouth.

Somehow in all their kissing and grinding, Leo had ended up flipped around so that he was under Ryoma. When they finally broke the kiss, looked at each other with flushed faces, Leo softly nodded at the unasked question and started to lift the shirt off his body. Ryoma grabbed his wrists and stopped him, instead reaching under the article and finding a pair of tight shorts underneath. Ryoma wasted no time hooking his fingers under the waistband and puling them, plus Leo's underwear, off. Leo turned red again and looked away, embarrassed. Ryoma just gave him another peck on the cheek before he leaned back to take off his own pants.

It ended up being a performance, which Ryoma hadn't expected. He was just going to rip them off, but a quiet 'slower' from below him made him pause. On his knees, he teased Leo with every inch of skin he revealed. Leo gasped in the most delightful way when Ryoma's large cock finally sprang free from his boxers. He couldn't' resist giving himself a loose pump or two before going back in for Leo's mouth.

Leo's legs opened, wrapping around Ryoma as they shared another kiss. Neither of them seemed sure where to move from this point, naked and wanting. Finally, the blond man shifted and reached somewhere past Ryoma. He came back with a purple bottle of creamy lotion, which was pressed into Ryoma's hand. The same stuff that had been used on his back. Ryoma raised a brow at Leo, who simply laid back down and placed a pillow under his lower back. He was flushed again.

"You sure you're sure?" Ryoma uncapped the bottle, spreading some of the flowery stuff on his fingers. He turned the bottle over and did a quick read of the ingredients, making sure this would be safe for Leo. He saw nothing unsavory and was content with this.

"I'm sure." Leo's voice was light. Even if he was okay with this, he was still nervous. Ryoma would be lying if he said he wasn't nervous, too. Ryoma searched Leo's face closely after his answer, for any sign of doubt, but he didn't find any.

"Have you done this before?" Rough palms flattened on the blond's thighs, spread him more apart and open. The shirt was still in the way, but Ryoma didn't move it. He just reached into the shade, letting his fingertips trail down Leo's hard dick and to his ass.

"Just by myself." A breathy answer, pulled from kiss bruised and panting lips. "Never.... with anyone." A virgin, then. At least Ryoma knew he wouldn't be spreading Leo open for the first time. Fingers or toys wouldn't prepare him for the real thing, but they couldn't go all the way if he hadn't used them.

"I'll be gentle." Ryoma whispered the promise into the shell of Leo's ear, kissing the heated skin to seal it. He circled a slick finger around Leo's entrance, trying to relax the tight ring of muscles. His finger slid inside easily enough, but he noticed how Leo winced and stiffened up. Ryoma didn't move a centimeter before he made sure that Leo was alright.

Taking a deep breath, Leo relaxed and Ryoma felt it. He started to move his finger slowly, careful to let Leo adjust. Before long Leo sighed, eyes closed and head heavy on his pillow. Ryoma added another finger, watched Leo's eyelashes flutter as he opened his eyes. Soft noises started to escape his lover and Ryoma added a third finger, then a fourth when the blond started to desperately grind against his hand. Leo keened softly, wanting, when Ryoma finally pulled away.

"Ready?" Ryoma took the time to slick himself up, position himself between Leo's legs and rub his thighs. He stole another quick kiss from the smaller man while he could.

"Please." Desperate.

That was all that Ryoma needed. Pushing against Leo, he held tight onto his hips as he slowly sunk inside. A sharp hiss left Ryoma as he felt relief, his long ignored cock getting the attention he craved. Leo was so hot and tight around him, Ryoma had to hold himself together not to cum on the spot or piston into him as hard and fast as he could. Leo groaned, biting his lip. Ryoma let him catch his breath and relax again before he started to move.

Slow progress, inching along in gentle movements. Ryoma was sweating with how much restraint he had to use by the time he finally disappeared as deep as he could go into Leo. He couldn't help himself, pushed up the part the long shirt that was hiding just enough. Ryoma's cock twitched when he saw how they were connected, how Leo's body strained to wrap around the large dick being pushed into it. Ryoma shuddered in delight.

Leo peeped under him, then tried to push his body back and against Ryoma. Taking his cue, the larger man gave Leo's hips one firm squeeze before he started to move. It was slow going, as it had been before, but his nerves were singing a holy chorus with every thrust. It was a slow and easy pace, lazy almost. Leo shifted and moaned and hummed, fingers loosely gripping his sheets by his head.

"I-I'm not glass, Ryoma." Leo panted under him, face flushed from sex. The older man raised a brow at this. Even being stretched open like he was, being joined in such an intimate way, was it not enough for Leo? Ryoma felt something sensual and dark in the pit of his stomach. He would give the blond man what he wanted. After a bit of teasing.

"What does that mean?" Ryoma purred it out, hips snapping suddenly to push roughly into Leo. Leo gasped and let out a shaky moan, then whined when Ryoma went back to his lazy pace. The blond squirmed again, trying to grind down. Ryoma kept a firm hold of his hips to keep him from getting too far.

"Don't make sa-ah!-ay it."

"Say what?" Smirking, Ryoma licked his lips. It took a lot of willpower, but he managed to slow down his movements to a halt. The only friction either of them were getting was what Leo managed to do on his own, which wasn't very much. "I can't know what you want if you don't tell me, Leo."

The other man made a frustrated noise.

"Fuck me t-till I can't stand."

Oh. Ryoma hadn't expected him to actually say it, at least not like that. He lifted Leo up some, shifting so his arm could lay under his lower back and he was almost flush with him. He gave Leo one last, sweet, chaste kiss on the lips before he pulled out, all the way to the head, and then slammed back into him. He didn't stop, didn't pause, repeating the action hard and fast like Leo requested.

The reaction was instant. Leo screamed out a moan, his hips jumping and back arching sweetly. Ryoma tightened the arm around him, keeping him lifted up, hitting the spots that Leo must have wanted hit for him to react that way. Shameful as it was, with how Leo was reacting and just how nice it felt to be buried inside him, Ryoma knew he wouldn't last much longer. From the looks of things, Leo wouldn't either. This in mind, Ryoma moved his other hand from Leo's hip to his weeping cock, pumping it in time with the thrusts.

"Ryoma!" Leo gasped out his name before shuddering hard, a whole body shake. He clamped down tight around Ryoma, a vice grip, and came in thick, white spurts all over Ryoma's hand and his own stomach. Ryoma hissed, fighting back his own orgasm.

"Can I... inside?" He could barely get it out. Leo was still spasming around him, his body now relaxed and pliant instead of painfully tight. The blond man hummed softly, giving a small nod. Ryoma managed three more sharp thrusts before he pushed himself deep inside of Leo, spilling his own heat into the younger man. He pulled out with a squelch, softening. He glanced down at Leo's abused ass, more pleased than he should have been when a few dribbles of cum leaked out and down his crack.

Leo grumbled softly, and Ryoma rolled off of him and onto the bed. He carefully pulled the smaller man against him, curling around him. Space was tight. The beds were meant for one person, and Ryoma could barely fit in his own by himself. With him and Leo, it was a stretch to not fall off the bed.

Leo hummed, relaxed and eyes drooping closed. Ryoma knew there would be hell to pay later; Leo needed cleaned out and would be sore, after all. However, he couldn't find himself to care at the moment. Slowly his eyes drifted closed, and Ryoma melted into a black and comfortable sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> i'm a dirty sinner
> 
> leokumi and ryoumarx give me life and clears my skin, but let ryoma/leo and xander/takumi fuck each other too, okay?
> 
> idk how often i will update this fic, but it will be more sporadically than any of my others. it also won't have more than _maybe_ five chapters? and that's probably a stretch. i'll add more tags and stuff as i go as needed, too. also, if you think i need to tag a a trigger or something, tell me! sometimes i don't realize stuff is so i don't! and it won't bother me to do so, not one bit!
> 
> enjoy your sinning my dirty children <3


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